This invention relates to a cremation repository. This invention also relates to an associated method.
It is well known that cemetery space is increasingly difficult to secure in urban areas. Any space which is still available at reasonable distances from town centers has become so expensive that churches and other non-for-profit and commercial organizations cannot easily afford to acquire suitable cemetery space. Cremation is an alternative to which more and more people will inevitably turn. Cremated remains require much less space than full size coffins and may be indeed be stored in buildings. However, the costs of such storage still remains high, in part because of the personnel necessary to care for the cremation urns and to transport them between storage locations and visitation rooms.
This invention is intended to provide an improved cremation repository and an associated methodology.
A method for operating a cremation repository comprises, in accordance with the present invention, (i) storing a multiplicity of containers holding cremated remains of respective individual organisms, (ii) receiving, from a living human patron, an identification of the patron and an identification of one of the containers, (iii) operating a computer to check a database to determine whether the patron is entitled to view the identified container, (iv) operating a robot mechanism to retrieve the identified container from a respective storage location and to deliver the identified container to a predetermined location accessible by the patron, and (v), after the patron has completed visitation with the retrieved identified container, operating the robot mechanism to return the that container in an essentially unaltered state to the container""s storage location.
Thus, the present invention provides a computer-controlled cremation repository where cremation remains are automatically and temporarily delivered to users or patrons upon proper request, enabling survivors to visit with the mortal remains when dessred. In nearly every case, the survivors will not alter or even touch the vessel containing the remains of a deceased loved one. Thus, the computer-controlled repository functions mainly to periodically or occasionally retrieve and replace the cremation storage containers.
It is contemplated that a cremation repository utilizing the method of the present invention incorporates a number of visitation chambers or rooms utilizable by different parties simultaneously. The robot mechanism may include a plurality of robot units each operating independently under control of the computer to alternately retrieve and redeposit cremation remains storage containers. The robots may be self-propelled machines traveling along pre-established paths extending between the vistitation chambers, on the one hand, and the long-term storage locations, on the other hand. The paths negotiated by the robots may be mechanically defined by tracks such as overhanging rails or electronically defined by signal emitting wires embedded in a floor or ceiling. Alternatively, the robot travel paths may be established by software, the robots receiving input by wireless electromagnetic or ultrasonic signals or by monitoring markers positioned along various segments of the travel path. More advanced robots may be used as well, for example, robots equipped with pattern recognition software and one or more sensory systems.
The identification provided by the human patron or user may include an assigned personal identification code which is input to the computer by the patron or user via a keyboard or other interface device. Alternative identification methodologies include magnetic codes and bar codes which may be imprinted on identification cards, tags, rings, etc. Other, more advanced, identification methods are possible, including fingerprint and retinal scans and DNA analysis. Generally, these more advanced methods are unnecessarily sophisticated for most applications of the present invention.
A patron of the cremation repository service may be easily identified by a credit or debit card number which not only identifies the owner as having proper access to one or more cremation remains containers in the cremation repository facility but also facilitates payment by the patron for the services provided at the facility. A credit or debit card account of any individual patron may be charged periodically, for instance, monthly, independently of actual visitations to the repository facility. Alternatively or additionally, a charge may be made to the patron""s account every time the patron visits the facility. Moreover, where the repository facility provides ancillary services, as discussed hereinafter, those services may bear respective additional charges. The charges may be made to the accounts of respective users of patrons at the time of requesting or utilizing the basic and ancillary services or thereafter, for example, at the end of the month.
Operating the computer to extract payments for requested or rendered services may include automatically accessing accounts of the users or patrons through a telecommunications network to debit or charge the accounts. The telecommunications network may be a global computer network (the Internet).
Pursuant to another feature of the present invention, the method may further comprise receiving a request from a patron for one of a plurality of predetermined environmental conditions and automatically generating the requested environmental condition for the patron during at least a portion of a period that the patron is visiting with a selected cremation remains container. The requested environmental condition may be a reproduction of sounds selected by the patron. In that case, the generating of the requested environmental condition includes operating a sound reproduction system to perform or reproduce the selected sounds. The selected sounds may be a particular piece of music chosen by the patron, a piece of music by a particular composer or performer designated by the patron, or a piece of music selected randomly by the computer in response to an indication made by the user or patron as to a general kind of music. Alternatively, the sounds selected by a patron and generated by the sound reproduction system may be sounds of nature, exemplarily of a rainforest, an ocean shore, rustling leaves, a brook, etc.
Other environmental conditions modified or generated by the repository computer in response to a patron request may include a visual presentation and a fragrance. The visual presentation and the fragrance may be selected to accord with the selected sounds, particulaly where the sounds simulate a natural environment. A picture of a rainforest, an ocean shore, mountains or a brook, may be projected onto a wall panel or a large flat video display in conjunction with the corresponding sounds. Concomitently, generic smells of those locales may be wafted into the respective visitation rooms.
A cremation repository comprises, in accordance with the present invention, (a) a plurality of storage receptacles holding a plurality of storage containers holding cremated remains of respective individuals, and (b) a robot mechanism disposed proximate to the storage receptacles for accessing the same, the robot mechanism including an entrainment device for entraining at least one of the storage containers at a time. The repository further comprises a computer operatively connected to the robot mechanism for controlling access operations thereof, the computer having a memory storing locations of the storage containers in the receptacles. An input device is operatively connected to the computer for selecting one of the storage containers to be retrieved by the robot mechanism and conveyed by the robot mechanism to a predetermined location.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the repository further comprises a payment execution device operatively connected to the computer and the input device for implementing collection of a payment from a user and enabling retrieval and conveyance operations by the robot mechanism only upon collection of a payment. The payment execution device may be connected to a telecommunications network (e.g., the Internet), either directly, or via the repository computer, for debiting accounts of users or patrons in accordance with numbers of visits by the users or patrons to the cremation repository.
As discussed above, the repository may include an environmental control for generating any one of a plurality of predetermined environmental conditions. The computer is operatively connected to the environmental control for automatically operating the same to produce an environmental condition requested by a user or patron. The environmental control may be a sound reproduction system.
In addition, a cremation repository in accordance with the present invention may include environmental controls other than sound reproduction systems. Senses other than hearing may also be provided with appropriate diversion. The sense of smell may be soothed with incense and flower scents, or the smells of fields, streams, seashores, mountains, etc. These fragrances can be sprayed or wafted into visitation chambers of the repository facility and may be selected to accord with selected sounds (seashore smells selected together with surf sound). Moreover, a projection system may be provided to project a selected scene onto a wall. The scene may, for example, be a picture or video of a beach and lagoon, a mountain valley, a pine forest, a cloudscape, a seascape, a pasture, etc., or of the deceased (while alive), alone or with friends and/or relatives.
Visual presentations may include images of meaning to different religions. The images may be of symbols such as multiple-branch candlestick holders, crosses, cross-legged sitting figures, multiply armed figures, etc. The images may be of actual geographical or architectural sites sacred to the different religions.
The computer control of the cremation repository includes security measures for ensuring that users or patrons are able to call only pre-authorized containers of cremated remains.
A methodology and associated repository in accordance with the present invention facilitate access to the remains of deceased individuals by surviving friends and relatives in part by reducing space requirements. Cremation remains may be stored in locations which are not easily accessible; temporary transfer of the remains to visitation areas is implemented by a computer-controlled robotic mechanism.